A system, method, and computer readable medium for utilizing agent availability by an outdial application are provided. A routine may be periodically run by an outdial server that evaluates agent availability in a call center backend. If any agents are available, the routine may schedule a pre-defined number of calls per available agent. A number of phone numbers corresponding to the number of scheduled calls may then be fetched by the routine from a phone number database. Once calls are initiated by the outdial server, the routine again checks if any agents are available. In the event that an agent is available, a scheduled phone number is retrieved, and a call is placed thereto and connected with an available agent. After a successful call connection is made, the outdial application may again check the agent availability. If no agent is available, the outdial application may reschedule itself.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method, comprising: determining, by an outdial server, a first group of agents available to process a phone call; the outdial server interfaced with a telephone number database that stores a plurality of phone numbers, wherein the outdial server runs an outdial application adapted to place outbound calls to customers in an automated manner; wherein the first group of agents is selected from a plurality of groups of agents, and each respective group of agents has an assigned call ratio based on a skill set of agents within the respective group and measured performance metrics of the agents within the respective group; adjusting, by the outdial server, a first predetermined number of phone numbers to be retrieved based on an agent idle time, a queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents and dynamically based on real-time conditions, the real-time conditions comprising: unexpected lull in live answers or a peak in live answers; wherein the first predetermined number of phone numbers are placed in a scheduled call queue available to the outdial application; measuring, by the outdial server, the idle time of the first group of agents; comparing, by the outdial server, the idle time of the first group of agents with an idle time threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the idle time for the first group of agents that exceeds the idle time threshold; measuring, by the outdial server, the queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents; comparing, by the outdial server, the queue load with a queue load threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the queue load of calls that exceeds the queue load threshold; placing a call, by the outdial application of the outdial server, to a retrieved phone number; connecting, by the outdial server, the call with an agent determined to be available; and retrieving, by the outdial server, a second predetermined number of phone number per a second group of available agents, wherein the second predetermined number of phone number is adjusted in relation to a number of remaining phone number to be called of the first predetermined number.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outdial application determines the agent is not available to process the call, the method further comprising awaiting an interval prior to determining if the agent is available.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining if another agent is available by the outdial application upon connecting the call with the agent.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retrieving, by the outdial server, the adjusted first predetermined number of phone numbers per available agent based on a call type and the first group of agents assigned to process the phone call.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the outdial server, an agent from the first group of agents is available by the outdial application.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising awaiting, by the outdial server, a predefined interval of time prior to determining the second group of available agents.
7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for: determining, by an outdial server, a first group of agents available to process a phone call; the outdial server interfaced with a telephone number database that stores a plurality of phone numbers, wherein the outdial server runs an outdial application adapted to place outbound calls to customers in an automated manner; wherein the first group of agents is selected from a plurality of groups of agents, and each respective group of agents has an assigned call ratio based on a skill set of agents within the respective group and measured performance metrics of the agents within the respective group; adjusting, by the outdial server, a first predetermined number of phone numbers to be retrieved based on an agent idle time, a queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents and dynamically based on real-time conditions, the real-time conditions comprising: unexpected lull in live answers or a peak in live answers; wherein the first predetermined number of phone numbers are placed in a scheduled call queue available to outdial application; measuring, by the outdial server, the idle time of the first group of agents; comparing, by the outdial server, the idle time of the first group of agents with an idle time threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the idle time for the first group of agents that exceeds the idle time threshold; measuring, by the outdial server, the queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents; comparing, by the outdial server, the queue load with a queue load threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the queue load of calls that exceeds the queue load threshold; placing a call, by the outdial application of the outdial server, to a retrieved phone number; connecting, by the outdial server, the call with an agent determined to be available; and retrieving, by the outdial server, a second predetermined number of phone number per a second group of available agents, wherein the second predetermined number of phone numbers is adjusted in relation to a number of remaining phone numbers to be called of the first predetermined number.
8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the outdial application determines the agent is not available to process the call, the computer-readable medium further comprising instructions for awaiting an interval prior to determining if the agent is available.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising instructions for determining if another agent is available by the outdial application upon connecting the call with the agent.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising instructions for retrieving, by the outdial server, the adjusted first predetermined number of phone numbers per available agent based on a call type and the first group of agents assigned to process the phone call.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising instructions for determining, by the outdial server, an agent from the first group of agents is available by the outdial application.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising instructions for awaiting, by the outdial server, a predefined interval of time prior to determining the second group of available agents.
13. A system, comprising: a call center front office including an automatic call distributor adapted to connect an agent with an outbound call; a plurality of agent stations communicatively coupled with the call center front office, wherein each of the plurality of agent stations are operated by a respective one of a plurality of agents; an interface to a carrier network for placing the outbound call to a customer; an outdial server interfaced with a telephone number database that stores a plurality of phone numbers, wherein the outdial server runs an outdial application adapted to place outbound calls to customers in an automated manner; wherein the outdial server is disposed in the call center front office, and wherein the call center front office is communicatively coupled with a public switched telephone network; wherein the outdial server determines a first group of agents available to process a phone call; wherein the first group of agents is selected from a plurality of groups of agents, and each respective group of agents has an assigned call ratio based on a skill set of agents within the respective group and measured performance metrics of the agents within the respective group; wherein the outdial server adjusts a first predetermined number of phone numbers to be retrieved based on an agent idle time, a queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents and dynamically based on real-time conditions, the real-time conditions comprising: unexpected lull in live answers or a peak in live answers; wherein the first predetermined number of phone numbers are placed in a scheduled call queue available to the outdial application; wherein the outdial server measures the idle time of the first group of agents; wherein the outdial server compares the idle time of the first group of agents with an idle time threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the idle time for the first group of agents that exceeds the idle time threshold; wherein the outdial server measures the queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents; wherein the outdial server compares the queue load with a queue load threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the queue load of calls that exceeds the queue load threshold; wherein the outdial server places a call to a retrieved phone number; wherein the outdial server connects the call with an agent determined to be available; wherein the outdial server retrieves a second predetermined number of phone number per a second group of available agents, wherein the second predetermined number of phone number is adjusted in relation to a number of remaining phone number to be called of the first predetermined number; and a bridge that terminates the call with the customer and the agent.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the outdial application determines the agent is not available to process the call, and wherein the outdial server awaits an interval prior to determining if the agent is available.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the outdial application determines if another agent is available upon connecting the call with the agent.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the outdial server retrieves the adjusted first predetermined number of phone numbers per available agent based on a call type and the first group of agents assigned to process the phone call.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the outdial server determines an agent from the first group of agents is available by the outdial application.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the outdial server awaits a predefined interval of time prior to determining the second group of available agents.
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March 14, 2014
November 25, 2014
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